Towel



l April 25, 1939. B. OSBO'RNE 2,155,441

TOWEL Filed Aug. 19, 1956 Patented Apr. 2.5, 1939 UNITED STATES TOWEL Bruce Osborne, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Numan H. Gerlach, as trustee Application AugustA 19, 1936, Serial No. 96,748

3 Claims.

This invention relates to towels for personal use, and by the term towels used herein it is intended to denote towels, toilet paper and other sheets, usually made of paper, and intended for 5 personal use.

Such articles formed of bibulous paper, as has heretofore been the practice in the art, are very desirable on account of the high absorbing capacity for liquids possessed by them. They have,

l however, been subject to the disadvantage that on wetting, the paper tends to break and become converted into pulp. For this reason these articles have not been capable of use in many applications where it is desirable to use in- 16 dividual absorbent fabrics or the like.l

According to the present invention I provide a highly bibulous paper towel or the like, which l is inherently strong and resistant to pulping, while retaining substantially unimpaired the full 20 absorbent capacity of the paper stock for water 3 bodiment of the invention a -second sheet of bibulous paper tissue is applied to the sheet of coagu- Y lated latex so that the sheets of paper tissue are thereby connected integrally together. In another embodiment of my invention no second a layer of paper is employed, the rubberized surface presenting special advantages in the case of washing or applying lotions to the skin, since it presents a non-fibrous surface which does not disintegrate or roll when subjected to friction in o the wet condition. The rubberized surface has remarkable inherent detergent or cleansing effects and at th same time protects the skin from rough treatment.

The perforations in the intermediate layer of latex are sufficiently large and numerous to permit water and other liquids to pass therethrough. A certain amount of water or liquids remains in these perforations. In the embodiment of the invention which comprises two sheets of bibulous paper tissue, water and other liquids may pass from one layer to the other so that the absorbent capacity-of both sheets of paper tissue is available. In the case of the single sheet of paper u which carries a continuous perforated sheet of fil j care that the latex does not impregnate the sheet or sheets of paper tissue to any considerable extent and thereby the full absorbent capacity of the sheet or sheets is preserved. In the preferred :lo manner of making my improved towel I spray latex upon a rapidly moving strip of paper tissue and I adjust the spray or the rate of movement of the paper strip so that I get a continuous lm or sheet of latex, which has, however, numerous perforations distributed over its whole area. To prevent impregnation of the paper tissue to an objectionable extent I prefer to spray simultaneously thereon a latex coagulant, for example, dilute acetic acid. When making a towel com- '.'u prising a single paper sheet, talc or other suitable material which prevents adhesion is applied to the exposed surface of the layer of latex. When making a double tissue sheet l1 apply another sheet of similar paper tissue which is secured to the first sheet by the adhesive qualities of the latex layer.

The invention will readilyrbe understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the ac- Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner in which my double sheet toweling is made, 40

and

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the manner in which my single sheet toweling is'made.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, and particularly to Figs. 1, 3 and 4, my improved 45 toweling comprises two sheets I0 and Il of bibulous paper tissue and an intermediate sheet or film I 2 of coagulated latex. The film or sheet I2 is continuous and is coextensive or substantially coextensive with the sheets ID and Il of paper. The sheet or film I2 of coagulated latex is provided throughout its surface with numerous perforations I3, which permit water and other fluids to pass therethrough so that they are absorbed not only by the particular paper sheetlll or' Il -which is brought into contact with them, is precisely the same as described in connection but also. by the sheet on the other side of the towel.

In manufacturing my improved towelingI preferably employ two rolls I4 and I5 from which the stock which is to form the two sheets pressure rollers I and Il is fed. The sheet I0 passes over roll I6 and both sheets I0 and II pass between II. 'I'he combined sheet of toweling which passes through the rolls I1 is wound up on a roll I8. Between the roll I6 and the pressure rollers I1 I provide two spray heads I9 and 20. In actual manufacture the paperis wound up onh the drum I8, which is driven by. suitable means (not shown). The pressure rolls I1 are also driven bysuitabie means (not shown) and they draw the sheets I0 and II oil the rolls I4 and I6. Latex is spread by the spray head I9 over the surface of the paper passing therebelow. A suitable coagulant, such as acetic acid, is also sprayed on the paper by' a spray head 20 so that the latex is immediately coagulated and does not penetrate into the paper to an excessive extent.

The late'x coated sheet I0 comes into contact with the sheet II when passing through the rolls Il, and the pressure of these rolls brings the sheet II into intimate contact with the latex so that the three layers I0, II and I2 are permanently secured together. The spray head I9 is adjusted to deliver a. fine spray of limited amount and the drive of the rolls lI'I is correlated thereto so that a continuous perforated layer or film I2 of latex is produced. The nished toweling may be cut into the suitable sizes for the particular use for which it is intended.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 2 and 5, the towelmay comprise a single sheet of bibulous paper tissue I0 and a film or layer or latex I2 applied toA one side thereof, which fllm is provided over its area with numerous perforations I3. As will readily be understood from Fig. 5, the manner', in which the latex is applied 'the latex layer.

with Fig. 4. In manufacturing this towel, however, the paper strip is drawn from a drum Il over rolls IE and I1 and is wound up on adrum I8. To prevent adherence between the exposed surface of the latex layer or film and the paper layer, when the strip is wound up upon the drum I8, I apply talc or other suitable material to This may be accomplished by means `of a soft roll 2| which rotates in contact with the coated side of the paper. This roll may be supplied by a roll 22 with talc 23 contained in a suitable container 24. A bar or the like 25 is arranged in contact with the soft roll 2| so as to remove excessive amounts of talc or the like therefrom.

Although the invention has been disclosed in connection with the specific details of preferred embodiments thereof, it must be understood that such details are not intendedsto be limitative of the invention except in so far as set forth in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A towel comprising two sheets of bibulous paper tissue, and an integral perforate sheet or llm of rubber deposited from latex therebetween connecting the sheets of paper tissue permanently together.

2. A towel comprising two coextensive sheets of bibulous paper tissue, and an integral perforate sheet of rubber deposited from coagulated latex coextensive therewith, located ,therebetween and connecting the sheets of paper tissue permanentiy together.

3. A towel comprising a single sheet of bibulous paper tissue, and an integral Aperforate sheet or film of rubber deposited from latex permanently attached thereto, and extending over 'the whole surface of the sheet of tissue with the exception of the portions corresponding to numerous minuteperforations in the latex film.

BRUCE OSBORNE. 

